Driving mechanism for speedometers



C W. SVENSOR.

DRWING MECHANISM FOR SPEEDOMETERS.

APPLICATXDH FILED DEC. 10. 921.

1,404,067. 7 Patented Jun 17, 1922.

2 sHm's-y-xav: 1. 2 /0 C. W. SVENSUN.

DRIVING MECHANXSM FOR sm'womnms.

' AX'PLICAHON F LED DELHI, [92l- 1394 0 7 Patented Jan. 1'7 1922.

2 SHt'L FS SHEET 2 the universal joint itihiilliil) sra'ras PATENT OFFICE.

CHAR-LES 'W. SVENSQN. OF NEW BRITAIN. CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERI CAN HARDWARE CORFORATION. OF NE'W BRITAIN. CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

DRIVTNG MECHANISM FOR. SPEEDOMETERS.

isomer.

Application filed December 10, 1923.

To all itllO'l/t 1 11 may comic/n Be it known that 1, CHARLES llhfivnivsonj a citizen of the l nited States. residing at. Flew Britain, countof Hartford. State of mnecticut. have invented a certain new and use iul improvement in Driving Mechanisui i'or Spcedometers, oi which. the following is a full. clear. and exact description;

The present invention relates to driving mechanisms which are particularly adapted for s xaaloiueters and other indicating devices that ma be mounted on the instrument board of an automobile.

The object of the invent-ion is to improve driving mechanisms of this character as will hereinafter appear. j

The several lcatures of the invention will he. clearly understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical sectionaielevation of a portion of the transmission mechanism of an automobile with an instrument; driving mechanism connected therewith embodying the features of the invention in their: preferred form;

Fig. 2' is a detailed side elevation of a portion of the driving mechanism;

Figs. 23 and 4 are detailed perspective views of componentparts of the portion of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fi 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5'5 of Fig. l; and

Fig. (3 is a. detailed bottom plan view of the portion of the construction illustrated in Fig. 5 but with certain parts removed.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings a portion of the housing for the transmission mechanism of an automobile is indicated at 2, and the driving shaft at at which consists of two sections having the usual universal joint connection 6 between them.

In the construction shown the forward portion 8 of the member of the universal joint connection 6 which is mounted on the forward section of the driving sha'l t is reduced in diameter forming a shoulder 10; A spiral gear l2is mounted on said reduced portion 8 against the shoulder 10, the spiral gear having a driving fit engagement with said reduced portion so as to be carried by the driving shaft. The spiral gear 12 and connection are enclosed by the usual spherical housing, one part 14; of which. is secured by bolts 16 to the trans Specification of Letters Zatent:

Patented. Jan. 1'1, 1922. Serial No. 521,336.

mission housing 2. he housing 14 is provided with a downwardly projectingportion 18 and the lower end of the housing is provided with an opening 20 which extends through the projecting portion 18. A. spiral punch 22 lying in the plane of the shaft 4', e nds through the opening 20 and operatively engages the spiral gear i2. The spiral pinion 22 is removahly mounted on a squared portion 24 of shaft 26 that extends transversely of the driving shaft 4. A cap -8 is secured by cap screws 30 to the face of the projecting portion 18 of the housing 14:. The cap is provided with a pocket 32 which registers with the opening 20 in the housing 1% and receives the lower portion of the spiral pinion 22, the spiral pinion being'held from axial movement by the engagement of the sides thereof with the side ivalls of the opening 20 and the pocket 32. The engaging faces of the projecting portion 18 of the housing and the cap 28 are provided with registering semi-cylindrical grooves that cooperate to form a hearing for the pinion shaft 26. The right handend of the cap 28. viewing Fig. projects beyond the projecting portion 18 and is in the form of a sleeve or hollow nipple A tongue 36 is formed on the right hand end of the pinion shaft 26 which tongue projects into said nipple and engages a slot 38 in the end of a flexible shaft fll'extending into the outer end of the nipple 34. The end of the flexible shaft 40 is held'in the nipple bv means of a coupling 42' having one end screwthreaded on the exterior its other end connected ot' the flexible shaft in To assist in properly on the projection 18' to assist the cap screws 30 in securely holding the cap in position, the are provided with a tongue and groove connection 46 extending longitudinally of the cap, and the upper portion of the inner end of the nipple 34- abuts against the side of the projection 18. 28 extends below the spiral pinion 22 to provide a. space between the lower end" of the inion and the lower Wall of the po ket. ith this construction it will be apparent that the cap 28, spiral pinion 22, shaft 26, and the end of the flexible shaft and its casing may be readily removed as a unit from the housing 14 Without disturbing the other parts of the mechanism by merely rewith the casing 4- the usual manner.

positioning the cap 28 of the housing 14, and

cap and projection i of the nipple and The pocket 32 of the cap moving -lihe' cup screws 30, and that iJllBSB parts may lye readily replaced. It will also be apparent that us the pinion 22 1s located directly lielow the driving shaft of the pinion shaft 26 is arranged in a horizontal plane the oil will freely work from the pocket 32, ihrough the scoring for ihe pinion short and into the nipple 3% so os to maintain these parts and the conneciion with the end of the flexible shaftand easing properly lubricatedin case the spiral gears should become Worn with use, this may be readily compensated for by suitably plun ing oil the engaging "faces of the cap 28 and the projection 18, and then again roaming the registering grooves in these parts so as to fit the pinion shaft. in similar manner the conslruction ins; be adapted to 'employ a smaller spiral pinion for the purpose of changing the gear ratio. The construction may be adapted to employ a larger spiral pinion by substituting a, cop of greater depth in which the entire bearing for the pinion shall; niay be formed.

While it is preferred to employ the speoilic construction and arrangement, of parts illustrated and. described, it is to be understood that this construction anduirrange' ment is not, essential exceptso for as specified in the claims.

i i hale I cleiin is 1. The combination wiih. the driving shaft oi an automobile, having a, universal joint connection, of a housing forlihe' universal joint conneciion having an opening in its lower side, 'a spiral gear mounted. on said driving shaft within said housing, a spiral pinion extending through said opening in the housing and engaging said spiral gear, horizontal short for the pinion s1- rsnged irensversely to said driving shaft, :1 cap rcinovnhly red to the housing providing a barrio tor said, pinion short and having :1 pocket opposiie the opening in said. housing to receive the lower porsion of said spiral pinion and constructed to prosvide a. space beneath said pinion to receive lubricating oil from the housing, and uv flexihie shaft having one end connected with sold pinion shaft and supported by one end I ose u i 'd 1 r of mllli ,ap, sai pinion sisi inion (inn cap leing removable as a unit.

The combination with thedriving shaft of an automobile, of ospiral gear ried by the shaft, a housing enclosing the -re111ov:r'ol v secured to the housing and having a pockei below said opening and enclosing the lower portion of flexible shaft connected with the pinion shaft.

3. 'l he ooinbinai ion with the driving shaft of on automobile, of u spiral gear carried by the shaft, s housing enclosing spiral gear and having an opening in its lower side. a spiral pinion extending through said opening and engaging said gear, a shaft for said pinion, arranged transversely to said driving shaft, :1 cap having a pocket registering with and enclosing the lower portion of said pinion, said. pinion being held from axial movement by the engagement of the sides thereof with the side walls of said opening and pocket, and a flexible shaft connected with the pinion shaft.

l. The combination with the driving shaft of an automobile of a second shaft arranged transversely thereto, gears connect ing the shafts, :1 housing enclosing the on the driving shaft, a cap removably secured to the housing having a grooved portion cooperating with a grooved portion of the housingito provide a bearing for, said second shaft, and a flexible shaft connected with said second shaft.

5. The combination with "the driving shaftof anautomobile, of a shaft arranged in a plane transverse to the plane of the driving shaft, a gear carried by the driving said pinion, s

said opening in the housing" shaft. a pinion carried by said transverse shaft' engaging said gear, a housing enclosing the gear on the driving shaft, a cop removsbiy secured :10 the cosing and having a grooved portion cooperating with o grooved porrion of said housing zo'provide beering for soid pinion shait and having one end in the form oi o tube projecting beyond the housing, and a, flexible shaft havin one en'cl mounted in said projecting end of the cap.

CHARLES. SVENSON. 

